


The Scenery From My Homeland

by induratize



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: F/M, Slice of Life, in an alternate universe where the ignis have safely returned to the cyberse world, life in the countryside as seen from a city dweller, yusaku deserves some semblance of normalcy in his life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2020-04-23 18:19:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19156387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/induratize/pseuds/induratize
Summary: A recluse in a modern metropolis, Yusaku is completely ignorant about everything outside of Den City. Then, for their summer vacation one year, Takeru decides to take him to visit his hometown in the countryside.This is a collection of short stories illustrating Yusaku’s experiences as he learns about many new things as well as meet the overly friendly people in Takeru’s life. Before long, he comes to learn another definition of what it means to be “home”.





	1. Plans for Summer Vacation

**Author's Note:**

> hello all~ so this is just something i decided to do for fun, because vrains seriously lacks some slice of life moments and our protagonist could certainly use some of those. xD
> 
> please note that most chapters will be pretty lighthearted, so there _may_ be some (very) slight ooc. it will feature platonic firestorm and platonic/romantic entrustshipping, though this may still be subject to change (it's not likely as it stands now, but still).

“So, what are you doing this summer vacation, Yusaku?”

Takeru and his friend were descending the steps of Den City High School after another long day at school. All around them, students were chatting amongst themselves as they were making their own plans for the upcoming summer vacation. Many were planning picnics with their friends while others wanted to visit every shopping mall to enjoy the air conditioning. It was already well into July and the days were growing hotter as the annual summer heat descended onto the city.

“Nothing,” Yusaku said. “There isn’t anything I want to do, anyways.” And he was right about that. He never did anything every summer vacation except surf the web on his laptop in the plaza with Kusanagi and Café Nagi, his hot dog van. Before he met Kusanagi, he had been doing the exact same, albeit in his run-down apartment room. When it got too stuffy, he would be on his laptop directly outside of his home instead.

“I see…” Takeru looked down at his shoes. He appeared to be hesitating about asking something that was lingering on his mind. “Well… I don’t know if you’ll want to… but I was thinking…”

His friend stopped to look at him. “What is it?”

Takeru cleared his throat and straightened his back. “Well, I’m going back home to my friends and family for the summer. But since you mentioned not having any plans, I was wondering if you wanted to come with me.”

Yusaku was silent for a few seconds as he contemplated over this offer. “I don’t really know anything. I’ve never been out of Den City before.”

“You don’t have to know anything!” Takeru exclaimed. “Come on, I’d like you to meet my grandparents. I think they’ll really like you. Also, my best friend, Kiku! I know for a fact that she’ll absolutely adore you!”

“I don’t mind meeting them, but… what would I be doing in the countryside? I can’t swim nor can I play any sports.” It was basically a nice way of paraphrasing that he had literally no hobbies outside of the computer.

Takeru chuckled upon hearing this. His friend could be so clueless sometimes, though it was understandable given how he had lived independently all his life. “I’ll teach you everything there, so you don’t have to worry about a thing,” he reassured him.

The two had reached the city plaza, where it was bustling with activity. People of all ages were out and about, enjoying the various vendors and activities of the day. Kusanagi was waving to them from his truck, having already seen them approaching from afar.

“What’s up?” he greeted them as they reached Café Nagi. He was already preparing two glasses of iced coffee for his friends.

“I was asking Yusaku to come with me back to my hometown for the summer,” Takeru explained.

Kusanagi smiled at Yusaku. “I absolutely approve of this idea, but I don’t think he has any money for the train fare. I’d like to help him pay for it, but I can barely pay rent for my brother and I.”

Takeru grinned. “He doesn’t have to pay a cent.”

Yusaku turned to look at him in shock. “I won’t let you pay for it.”

“That’s not what I meant,” his friend said as he opened his backpack and took out two bright red tickets. “Remember that game I wanted to play when we were at the mall the other day? Well, when you weren’t looking, I won two train tickets! We both get a round-trip to anywhere in Japan completely free of charge!”

“I’ve never heard about this,” Yusaku said with his signature blank expression. “Is that why you asked me to go with you?”

Takeru was in disbelief. “I wasn’t going to let a perfectly good ticket go to waste!” He went and put his arm around the other boy’s shoulders. “Stop being such a stubborn grouch and come visit my hometown! You can bring your laptop, too. We have Wi-Fi in the countryside, you know.”

“Well…”

“You should go, Yusaku,” Kusanagi chimed in. “I’ll manage just fine here. Besides, knowing you, this may very well be your only chance to get out of this city in your lifetime.”

Yusaku sighed; two-against-one was not a battle he would win. “Fine, I will go.”

“Alright!” Takeru cheered. Kusanagi couldn’t have looked prouder.


	2. Yusaku Leaves Den City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Yusaku's first time riding a high-speed train.

Yusaku didn't think he would be anxious when he was just going to leave the city for a specified period of time, but when the big day came, he realized that had been an enormous understatement. He had spent countless hours researching about Takeru’s hometown, but it seemed that no amount of preparation would be able to alleviate his fears and apprehensions of being out in a completely foreign world for forty days.

But he wasn’t going to admit it to anyone, of course.

“This is our destination,” Takeru pointed out when he saw Yusaku intently studying the map of Japan at the Den City Train Station. “Morikage of Ryugi Prefecture *****! We’ll be there in mere hours!”

Yusaku gave a slight nod as they continued to walk, but on the inside, he only grew more worried. Anything could happen between now and then, and unlike in LINK VRAINS, he knew that he would not have the ability to resolve any major problem that might arise.

“Let’s grab some food for our ride,” his friend suggested once he secured their tickets. “I know of a great fast food chain! Granted, their hot dog probably isn’t as good as Kusanagi- _san'_ s, but..”

“That’s fine. I don’t mind.”

“I would like the regular  _ekiben,_  please,” Takeru told the vendor once they reached the shop. “My friend would like the jumbo hotdog with, uh... every condiment on it, please.”

“That’ll be three thousand yen,” said the vendor.

“Here,” Takeru responded cheerfully as he handed the vendor three thousand yen bills he had magically pulled out of his own bag. As he had paid for the two of them together, Yusaku was naturally disappointed that he wasn’t even able to pay for his own lunch. He checked his own wallet, which only contained a single one thousand yen bill staring back, as if taunting him. It was unfortunately, the only bill he had left after the money he earned from helping out at Café Nagi went into paying his rent for August and he didn't even have any spare change with him.

He sighed to himself. Takeru must have heard because he suddenly went over and put his arm around him. “Hey, there’s no need to fret a thing! This is my treat, plus you won’t even need the money back at my place, anyways.”

“But I can’t have you pay for everything,” Yusaku insisted.

“Yusaku, you’re my guest.” Takeru responded back, putting especial emphasis on the last word. “Just have fun! You won’t be alone, I promise you that.” He handed Yusaku his jumbo hot dog.

“Thanks.”  

“The train is here!” Right away, his friend made an excited dash for the escalator.

Yusaku only frowned at this, but followed him down the escalator. The platform was packed with people ready to board the high-speed train ****** , which was different than the kind of trains he was used to seeing in Den City. This one looked to be specifically built to battle even the strongest of headwinds, much like a bullet, and he couldn’t help but study its very modern design in awe. He had never seen such a fascinating train, especially not up close and...

“Have you ever been on a train before?” Takeru suddenly interrupted his thoughts as they waited for the signal to enter the train. “Not the local trains and subways in Den City, but a real train that extends its railways across the country.”

“No,” Yusaku replied. “This is my first time.”

“I see,” Takeru said. Something else seemed to be on his mind, but he didn’t say anything more when the train doors opened.

_"Welcome to..."_  While the train attendants were in the middle of thanking the passengers for waiting, Yusaku took his luggage and walked right in without any hesitation in his step whatsoever. He had no patience for public service announcements, and he admitted that he was even slightly pleased to see Takeru following right behind him.

“Wait up-- Ah, Yusaku! We’re supposed to put our luggage here, in the front of the car.”

At first, he was going to refuse and keep walking, but quickly found out that everyone else was putting their own luggage there. “I always thought it’d get stolen that way,” Yusaku said as he reluctantly put his in the designated area. “Or someone else might take the wrong luggage instead.”

Takeru laughed at this. “I thought the exact same thing when I first took the train, but I later found out that the chances of that actually happening is smaller than a speck of sand.” He grabbed his friend’s arm. “Come on, I’ve even reserved the best seats in the car for us!”

“Thanks,” Yusaku muttered, even though all the seats looked exactly the same and he failed to see any sort of difference between them.

As all the passengers had boarded and the train doors closed, the first thing Takeru did was take out his  _ekiben_. “I’m starving! I hope this’ll last me through most of the train ride.” He smiled to himself as he opened the package, though that smile slowly turned into a frown.

“What’s the matter?” Yusaku inquired.

His friend shook his head. “It’s nothing. I was just thinking of the time I brought Flame here on his first and only train ride. I remember how I had a very hard time trying to keep him quiet the entire ride.” Takeru chuckled at this memory. “I wonder how they’re doing now…”

Yusaku was silent as Ai, too, appeared in his mind. “Perhaps they’re on their own train ride, enjoying a good meal of data back in Cyberse World, too.”

His friend smiled again. “I like your way of thinking.”

Yusaku shrugged and took a bite out of his own hot dog. He could only imagine Ai making a big fuss with Flame about how they wanted the train in their world to be built since his Ignis partner was certainly like that, but he would probably never know now, would he?

Suddenly, Takeru turned to him with an apologetic look on his face. “By the way, I hope you don’t mind that we don’t have access to Wi-Fi here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***** 龍木県の守景市～　yes, named after the historical japanese painter, and yes, it's a totally made-up town name and prefecture, since i don't recall takeru's hometown ever being canonically-named (though i'll obviously change it if canon reveals it)  
>  ****** this is basically the shinkansen, but think a more modern version reflecting their more technologically-advanced setting :B
> 
> * * *
> 
> but ahaha, imagine yusaku having to suffer for consecutive hours without any internet because takeru can't pay for something so expensive :B i mean... i can relate to both of them here so i can't say that i blame them. so just take a nap ❤ 


	3. Welcome to Takeru's Hometown!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yusaku arrives at the countryside, where he also meets Takeru's childhood friend, Kiku, for the first time.

The rest of the train ride was uneventful. Sometimes, a train attendant would push a cart full of snacks and beverages down the aisle, and perhaps their voice would stir a passenger from their slumber. Takeru kept gazing at the snacks longingly every time the attendant rolled their cart down their aisle, but not once did he make an attempt to stop her. 

 _Riding a train is indeed overrated_ , Yusaku thought to himself, as he glanced over the price tags on every snack.

From time to time, someone would get out from their seat to flag down a server, but it was the peace and quiet that kept Yusaku occupied in his own thoughts as he curiously watched the trees and the occasional highways fly by like a movie being fast-forwarded. He thought about what he would see in the countryside, what he would see in a change of scenery he had never had the chance to step foot in.

He closed his eyes, remembering the times he was at the orphanage as a child, taking strolls around town and climbing up trees on his own. He had always been comfortable with exploring new sights alone, even in the earlier days of his life, when he didn’t have a worry in his mind.

However, ever since those tortuous six months, he had never been able to feel that sensation again, but somehow, ever since Takeru brought up the idea of taking him to the countryside, something inside him flickered with the tiniest flame with anticipation.

In his calmed state of mind, he must have fallen asleep without knowing when, and the next thing he knew was Takeru gently shaking him awake.

“Yusaku! We’re here!” 

Yusaku’s eyes flew open. Sure enough, the train had already stopped moving and people were beginning to move out in single file.

“Hurry up, Yusaku, or you’ll get left behind,” Takeru promptly teased.

The afternoon sun blinded Yusaku’s groggy self as the two stepped out of the train. Just how long had he been asleep? His legs felt like jelly with every step he took, and the suitcase he had to carry along did not help his predicament.

“This way!” his friend chirped, as he led him up a narrow road. After having been cramped in that train for at least five hours, he didn’t seem affected by the long train ride one bit. In fact, he was enthusiastic to be back home again.

A telephone booth caught their attention. Yusaku was sure he had not seen such a thing in a very long time, since these things only existed in Den City’s history books.

He watched Takeru fish a coin out of his pocket and slipped the phone off the hook. He quickly dialed in a number. Yusaku caught sight of who Takeru was calling and had to resist the urge to roll his eyes.

His friend turned to him and smiled. “First we’ll let our good friend know that you made it safe and sound.”

 _Hello, Cafe Nagi_ , said the person on the other line.

“Kusanagi- _san_!” Takeru exclaimed. “It’s Takeru! We’re just calling to let you know that we’ve arrived!”

 _That’s great!_ Kusanagi said. _I hope you two have lots of fun during the next few weeks. I forgot to tell you this before you left, but let me know if you need a ride once you return!_ Then there was a small pause at the other end of the line. _In the meantime, make sure Yusaku gets plenty of fresh air over there. I don’t need to find out that he was indoors all day over there when you two get back, too._

Takeru laughed at this. “No worries, Kusanagi- _san_! He’s in my territory now; I’ll keep him so busy that he won’t even have time to sit down!” 

Yusaku turned to look at him in horror. “Please don’t tell me you actually mean that.”  

Takeru promptly hung up, but Yusaku was sure that he caught a very subtle smirk lingering on his lips for a fraction of a second.

“Takeru!” came a female voice from somewhere. His friend immediately looked frantic as he looked up.

Yusaku followed his trail of sight and saw a young woman around their age run down the hill towards them. Her long braid fluttered in the wind behind her as she approached them. Takeru took a step backwards just as the woman flung her arms around him, almost tackling him to the ground.

“Kiku!” he exclaimed, completely flustered. “H-hey, how’ve you been?” 

“Takeru, you’ve come home! I’ve missed you!” she nearly squealed. “You have no idea how happy I was when I received your message. Naturally, I didn’t waste another second in telling your grandparents.”

“I’ve missed you, too,” Takeru responded. “I--”

Then, as if he suddenly remembered that Yusaku was still standing there and staring at them, he wiggled his way out of her grip and cleared his throat. “Uh, I brought my friend back with me this time. Meet Fujiki Yusaku, the most intelligent person I know.”

Yusaku only blinked his eyes upon receiving this compliment.

“And Yusaku, meet my best friend since childhood, Kamishirakawa Kiku.”

The woman turned to him. “It’s very nice to meet you, Fujiki- _san_. I’ve heard a lot about you from Takeru. It’s finally great to be able to meet you in person.” She gave a small bow.

Yusaku nodded his head. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

Suddenly, her eyes lit up. “Did Takeru tell you you’ll be staying at his house? There is a spare guest bed in his house.”

Yusaku shook his head. “He said that he would keep everything a surprise.”

“Well, that’ll be your next home for the summer. I even have it all ready for you, so all you need to do is move your stuff in, really. That way you’ll get to spend even more time with Takeru, if you haven’t been doing so already.”

Yusaku nodded his thanks. Kiku’s enthusiasm was making him feel a little uncomfortable, but Takeru didn’t seem to notice. He wasn’t used to being around overly friendly people fussing over him, and for a brief moment, he was ready to turn back and hop on the next train back to Den City.

“Anyways, is Takeru going to make you stand here all day? Come on! Let’s show you around Morikage!” She gently tugged on his arm and Takeru’s and led both of them up the road. Sure enough, it led them straight to a small town on the other side of the hill. At its foot, a large wooden arch with the words “Welcome to Morikage” painted on it greeted Yusaku’s eyes. 

“I’m sure you’ll love it here. We’ll have lots of fun together,” Kiku reassured him, and her voice was brimming with confidence. There was something in the glint of her hazel eyes that Yusaku couldn’t quite read. There was no doubt about it, this woman certainly knew what she was doing. “And if Takeru bothers you in any way, I’ll be sure that he regrets it!”

Takeru made a face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guess who's back from the dead? there's nothing like #stayhome to get people updating their fanfiction again.  
> anyways, stay safe and healthy during these uncertain times, everyone! we can all get through this together!! ❤

**Author's Note:**

> this will be updated for as long as i have ideas. if anyone wants to leave suggestions, by all means, you are most welcome to and i will love you for it. i can't guarantee i will be able to do your idea(s), but i'd love to hear them anyways!! ❤


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